Knockdown sectional case.



- 0. B. ROWLETTE.

KNOOKDOWN SEGTIONAL CASE.

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KNOCKDOWN SBOTIONAL CASE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1911. 1,02 ,1 0, Patented May 14, 1912.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER B. ROWLETTE. OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

KNOCKDOWN SECTIONAL CASE.

To all whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER B. Rownn'r'rn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Sec tional Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to knockdown sectional cases, and its object is to provide such a casehaving improved means for detachably connecting its members together. This, and other objects hereinafter appearing, are attained by, and my invention finds a pref erable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter described, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front View of a case, suitable for books, etc., and embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is anend view of one of the shelves thereof, showing the connection of.

the backs therewith; Fig. 3 is a detail View of a portion of such shelf, and part of the ends of the case sections; Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a portion of said shelf, and showing a section end in horizontal section on line s-s of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the back members; Fig. 6 is a side edge view of the same; and Fig. 7 is a detail front view of a portion of section end.

The several sections or units of my case have ends 1 and 2 and backs the shelf 1 is common to adjoining sections, forming the top of the lower and the bottom of the upper, and is the principal part which de-.

taohably holds the case together. For this purpose it is provided with coupling members engaging other parts of the case and in the following manner: The ends 1 and 2 (of wood in the structure contemplated) are provided on their inner sides, near their upper and lower ends, with horizontal grooves 5, and on their upper and lower ends or edges with vertical grooves 6. The shelves 4 (of sheet metal in the structure contemplated) have at their ends flanges 7 adapted to engage and to he slid in the grooves 5, and also with flanges 8 adapted to engage and to be slid in the grooves 6. These flanges are preferably formed on a sheet metal shelf by slitting its end edges near the front and back of the shelf, and then bending the tongues formed by such slitting in the following manner: one tongue upward and another downward to form re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Serial No. 620,894.

spectively the flanges 8; a third tongue first upward and then outward, and a fourth tongue first downward and then outward to form respectively the flanges 7; the portion between such groups of tongues being bent down to form a strengthening rib 13 as particularly shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the adjoining sections, as well as the ends 1 and 2 of each, are by this means securely connected by the shelf.

A finishing strip 1 1, as shown in Fig. 4 and as partly broken away in Fig. 1, serves as a stop to limit the forward travel of the shelf in the grooves. The front edge of the shelves is preferably turned or bent as shown at 15 to provide a finish for the front of the shelf as well as to strengthen the same. The ends 1 and 2 are each provided on their inner sides and near their rear edges with a vertical groove 16 and another vertical groove 17 at right angles thereto. In these grooves respectively are adapted to engage and be slid the flanges 18 and 19 which are preferably formed on a sheet metal back. by slitting its side edges near the top and bottom of the back and then bending the tongues, formed by such slitting, forward to form the flanges 19, the remaining portion of the edge forming the flange 18. Theupper edge of each back is preferably bent forward to form a strengthening rib 20 on which rests the shelf whose rear edge is preferably bent downward to form a strengthening flange 21. The lower end of the back is preferably bent first backward and then downward to form a flange 29.- which rests on the shelf below and also looks it in position. A suitable finish top 23 and base 24 may be provided as shown.

To assemble the members or parts of my case, the bottom shelf 1 is slid from the rear into its position on the base 24: sides 1 and 2 for the lowest section are then slid from the front on the exposed flanges 7 and 8: the back 3 is now slid down into its place: thereupon the shelf for the second section is slid from the rear into its position on the upper ends of the sides 1 and 2. which proccss is repeated until the sections are built to the required height. The upper or lower edge of the ends 1 and 2 is rabbeted inside the groove 6 to admit the flange of the shelf, in order that the ends of adjoining sections may meet at a line on the outside of the case as shown in Fig. 3.

Not confining myself to the details of construction shown and described, I claim:

1. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of section ends each having parallel horizontal grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a vertical plane to each other, and a shelf extending between the ends of a section and having flanges adapted to be slid in the grooves to retain the ends in relative position.

2. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of four section ends comprising two ends for each of two adjoining sections, each of said ends having parallel horizontal grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a vertical plane to each other, and a shelf extending between the ends of a section and having flanges adapted to be slid in the grooves to retain all the ends in relative position.

3. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of section ends having parallel horizontal grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a vertical plane to each other, and a shelf extending between the ends of a section and having flanges adapted to be slid in the grooves to retain the ends in relative position, said flanges being formed by slitting each sheet-metal end. of such shelf to form tongues, and bending one tongue upwardly, another downwardly, a third upwardly and outwardly and a fourth downwardly and outwardly.

4L. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of section ends each having parallel vertical grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a horizontal plane to each other, a shelf extending between the section ends and adapted to hold them together, and a back having flanges slidable in the grooves of the section ends.

5. In a knockdown sectional case, the

combination of section ends having parallel vertical grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a horizontal plane to each other, a shelf extending between the section ends and adapted to hold them together, and a back having flanges slidable in the grooves of the section ends, said flanges being formed by slitting each sheet-metal side of such back to form tongues and bending one tongue at an angle with the back.

6. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of two adjacent sections having section ends, two for each section, a back for the lower of said sections and slidable vertically on its section ends, a shelf common to both sections and slidable horizontally on the ends and passing over the said back, and a back for the upper of said sections and slidable vertically on its section ends and adapted to lock the shelf from sliding movement.

7. In a knockdown sectional case, the combination of four section ends comprising two ends for each of two adjoining sections, each of said ends having parallel horizontal grooves cut inwardly at an angle in a vertical plane to each other, and a vertical groove near its rear edge, a shelf extending.

between the ends of a section and having flanges adapted to be slid in the horizontal grooves to retain all the ends in relative position, and a back slidable in the vertical grooves of the section ends and adapted to lock the shelf from sliding movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER B. ROVVLETTE.

Witnesses:

MARY S. TOOKER, MARY SoHUL'rE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

